Pin driving tool

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a device for driving headless pins and includes a shuttling pin carrier that moves the pins laterally from a feed path to a driving path where a drive plunger drives the pins endwise into a preformed hole. The device is arranged to drive one pin or multiple pins and is adapted for incorporating in a machine having a drilling arrangement for drilling the holes to receive the pins.

United States Patent Carl E. Boettcher Evansville, Ind.

Oct. 14, 1968 Feb. 9, 1971 Kimball Piano & Organ Co. Jasper, Ind.

a corporation of Delaware lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee PIN DRIVING TOOL 8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 227/73, 227/ 100 Int. Cl A43d 69/00 Field of Search 227/2, 3,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,469,261 10/1923 Havener 227/73 1,935,979 11/1933 Hubbard, Jr.... 227/69 2,979,721 4/1961 Helda 227/97 3,028,601 4/1962 Troske 227/99 3,093,416 6/1963 Schmidt 227/70X 3,147,485 9/ 1964 Andersen 227/100X Primary ExaminerGranville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Melvin A. Crosby ABSTRACT: The invention concerns a device for driving headless pins and includes a shuttling pin carrier that moves the pins laterally from a feed path to a driving path where a drive plunger drives the pins endwise into a preformed hole. The device is arranged to drive one pin or multiple pins and is adapted for incorporating in a machine having a drilling arrangement for drilling the holes to receive the pins.

1057 V52 THBLE F -P58 v6; THBLE R c INVENTOR.

CARL E. BOHKHER PIN DRIVING TOOL The present invention relates to a driving mechanism, and is particularly concerned with a mechanism for driving pinlike members, particularly headless pinlike members.

The driving of pinlike members, in general, is known, but heretofore automatic equipment for this purpose has been of the type adapted for driving pinlike members having heads thereon or which are tapered, such as rivets or special shaped pins, or the like. However, straight pins are somewhat more difficult to handle than members, such as nails, which have heads thereon and, heretofore, automatic equipment for driving such members has not been available.

A particular instance in which straight headless pins of the nature referred to are employed, and in connection with which instance the present invention is illustrated, is the setting of pins in the bridge members of pianos and over which bridge members the piano strings are entrained.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus for driving pins, and especially headless pins.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus for driving pins, especially headless pins, in multiple.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an automatic apparatus for first drilling holes for the pins in the work member which is to receive the pins and for thereafter driving pins in the holes, and carrying out the said operation in a continuous cycle in a unitary machine structure.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a schematic perspective view showing a portion of a bridge member for a piano having pins set therein according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing diagrammatically a mechanism for automatically drilling holes in the bridge member and for setting pins in the holes so drills;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the electrical control circuit for the machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the pin driver mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view indicated by line V-V on FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views indicated by lines VI-VI and VII-VII, respectively on FIG. 5; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views showing the connection of one of the driver rods to an actuating piston.

Referring first to the pin driver mechanism, which is a primary novel feature of the present invention, this will be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, to comprise a frame 10 having a reciprocating pneumatic motor 12 mounted on the upper end thereof. Pneumatic motor 12 includes a double acting piston having a piston rod I4 which extends into the frame 10 and therein is connected with a block 16. Block 16 is pinned to a plunger 18 and to the lower end of plunger 18 is connected driver rods 20. The lower ends of driver rods 20 are guided by respective bores in a guide block 22. Block 22 is attached to or fonned on a sleevelike member 24 supported in the lower end of the frame 10 and which sleeve also serves for guiding plunger 18. One of rods 20 is connected to the center of plunger 18 and extends axially therefrom while the other two are at an angle to the axis of plunger 18 and are connected to shoes 23 which slide in slots 25 in plunger 18.

Attached to the member 24 at one side are supply tubes 28 through which pins 30 are fed in end to end relation. The lower ends of supply tubes 28 terminate at 32 just above a slide 38 slidably mounted in a recess in the lower end of member 24. The lower ends of supply tubes 28 and 32 communicate with bores 36 in slide 38, only one being shown in FIG. 4. Slide 38 is guided in the recess in the lower end of member 24 for movement at right angles to the longitudinal axis of member 24. The slide 38 has an opening 42 therein into which the lower end of a lever 44 extends. On one side of opening 42 is a bearing pin 46 on which the lever 44 bears while on the opposite side of the lever there is a cross head 50 engaging the lever. Crosshead 50 has pins 52 fixed therein which are slidable in bores 54 in the portion of slide 38 at the extreme left side of the opening 42 as it is viewed in FIG. 4. Springs 55 are arranged in surrounding relationship to pins 52 and urge crosshead 50 against lever 44.

Another spring 56 is arranged between the left side of slide 38 (FIG. 4) and the opposed side of the recess in member 24 in which the slide reciprocates. Springs 55 are strong enough to prevail over spring 56 so that when the lower end of lever 44 moves toward the left in FIG. I, the slide 38 will move toward the left until it abuts the end of the recess in member 24 and, thereafter, any overtravel of lever 44 will be taken care of by further travel of crosshead 50 against the bias of springs 55.

Lever 44 is pivoted at its upper end to member 24 by the pivot pin at 60 and intermediate its ends carries a roller 62. Roller 62 projects into the path of a cam 63 fixed to plunger 18 so that the first portion of the movement of plunger I8 and driver rods 20 downwardly will be accompanied by tilting movement of lever 44 about its pivotal connection at 60 to move slide 38 leftwardly in FIG. 4, so that the bores 36 therein will register with the driver rods 20. The lower ends of rods 20, in retracted position of the rods, are spaced from the upper surface of slide 38 a sufficient distance to permit the slide to move to the leftward position thereof before the rods enter the bores in the slides. The pins in bores 36 will thus be driven therefrom through the bores 66 in the bottom of member 24 into a work member therebeneath.

Upon retracting movement of plunger 18, driver rods 20 will be withdrawn from bores 36 and roller 62 will run off cam 63 and permit slide 38 to return to its right-hand position to receive further pins from supply tubes 28.

It will be evident that the device is particularly adapted for handling headless pins which present considerable difiiculties for ordinary driving mechanisms. It will also be evident, however, that pins having heads, or tapered pins or the like could be handled by the driver of the present invention without any difficulty whatsoever.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. I shows a portion of a bridge 70 to be utilized in a piano and over which strings of the piano are entrained. Member 70 is preferably formed of wood and has holes 72 drilled therein and pins 74 are set into the holes.

The bridge is automatically drilled, and pins are driven therein by a driver according to the present invention, in a device which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a machine is shown having a bed on which a table 82 is reciprocably mounted. Table 82 is adapted for being driven by a piston element 84 attached to the table and reciprocable in a cylinder 86 carried by the bed 80.

A pair of bridges 70 are adapted for being clamped to table 82 in any suitable manner in predetermined positions thereon. One bridge is drilled while pins are driven into the other bridge and, then, the bridge with the pins is taken off the table, the drilled bridge is put in its place and an undrilled bridge is put in the place of the drilled bridge.

Carried over the table 82 is a frame 90 which may be connected to bed 80 and on which is mounted a drilling unit 92 and pin driver 94. The drills of drilling unit 92 run continuously and the unit has a motor 93 to drive it toward and away from the bridge 70A therebeneath, while pin drive 94 has a drive motor 95 for reciprocating the drive rods therein to drive pins into the bridge 70B therebeneath.

As shown, the drilling unit 92 is adapted for drilling three holes at a time and pin driver 94 is adapted for setting three pins at a time. Table 82 is thus required to advance a corresponding distance on each cycle. The advancing of the table toward the right is under the control of a control bar I00 carried thereby which has pins I02 projecting therefrom. These pins are adapted for engagement with the limit switch LS! and each time one of the pins engages the limit switch the table 82 will halt and a drilling and a pin setting operation, will take place. The spacing of the pins 102 is obviously the distance from one hole in the bridge member to the third following hole, and which spacing may vary along the length of the bridges being operated.

Limit switch LS1 is operated by a lever 104 over which pins 102 pass idly when the table is reversed and moves to the left.

The extreme left-hand rest position of table 82 determined by stop screw 1116, which is engaged by the left end of table 82 and the extreme right-hand position of table 82 is determined by limit switch LS2 which is engaged by the stop screw 108 carried by the control bar 100.

in operation, table 82 starts from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 2 and in which position bridge members 70A and 70B are mounted thereon. Bridge member 7013 is, of course, already drilled. When the machine is started it automatically advances rightwardly to the position where the first holes are to be drilled therein in bridge member 70A and the first pins are to be driven in be bridge member 70B and, thereafter, advances successive distances equal to the span of three holes until the one bridge member is completely drilled and pins are driven into the drilled holes of the other bridge member.

When limit switch LS2 is engaged by stop screw 108, the tab e 82 automatically reverses and returns leftwardly to its starting position and then stops so that the bridge 708 can be removed from the table, and bridge 70A moved over to pin setting position, and a bridge to be drilled placed in the position of bridge 70A.

The operation of the drilling unit and pin setter is accomplished by compressed air derived from source 120. The source of compressed air derived from source 120 is connected with motors 93 and 95 via respective solenoid operated valves 97 and 98. Valve 97 has a solenoid V4 energizable to shift valve 97 to retract the drills and a solenoid V3 energizabie to shift valve 97 to advance the drills. Valve 98 has a solenoid V2 energizable to shift valve 98 to retract the pin driver plungers upwardly and a solenoid V1 energizable to shift valve 98 to advance the pin driver plungers downwardly for driving pins.

Cylinder 815 is supplied with hydraulic fluid via a reversing valve 99 a having a solenoid V5 energizable to shift valve 99 to cause table 82 to move in the forward direction toward the right and a solenoid V6 energizable to shift valve 99 to cause table 82 to reverse and move to the left.

When valve 99 is shifted by solenoid V5 the fluid is supplied from valve 99 to the left end of cylinder 86 and is discharged from the right end of cylinder $6 through a conduit which has therein a valve 101 which is normally closed to block flow in the conduit away from cylinder 86 while permitting flow in the conduit toward the cylinder. A solenoid V7, when energized, holds valve 101 open. By energizing V5 to shift valve 99 into position to supply the left end of cylinder 86, the movement of the motor piston and of table 82 can be controlled by controlling the energization of V7. When V7 is energized, table 82 can move and when V7 is deenergized, table 02 is locked against movement.

1 16. 3 shows a typical electrical circuit for controlling the several valve solenoids V1 to V7 above referred to.

in FIG. 3, a transformer 110 has its primary connected between supply lines L1 and L2 via a switch S1 while the transformer secondary has one end connected to ground at G and its other end connected to a line L3. Connected between line L3 and another line L4, which is also connected to ground, are the components of the electric control circuit and including the several valve solenoids.

The components include a timer T which is in series with a normally open blade Rla of a relay R1. Blade Rla is bypassed by timer blade T1 which closes when the timer starts to run and which opens to half the timer at the end of a cycle. Timer T1 is also in series with a normally closed blade 82a of a selector switch which has a further blade 82b to be referred to hereinafter.

Relay R1 has a coil connected on one side through selector switch S3 and line L4 and on the other side connected to a terminal 111 of a limit switch LS1 which has a second terminal 112 and a blade 113 normally engaging terminal 112 and moveable into engagement with terminal 111. Blade 113 is connected to one side of a capacitor 114 which has its other side connected to line L4.

Terminal 112 of limit switch LS1 is connected through a diode D1 with line L3. The arrangement is such that when blade 113 rests on terminal 112, capacitor 114 will become charged through diode D1 and, when blade 113 of limit switch LS1 closes on terminal 111, the coil of relay R1 will be energized to pull the relay into closed position.

Limit switch LS1, as mentioned previously, is actuated into closed position by lever 104 which is engaged by pins 102 as table 82 moves toward the right. When the table moves toward the left, lever 104 does not operate limit switch LS1. A push button FBI is connected between line L3 and the wire leading from terminal 111 to the coil of relay R1 and can bc availed of for energizing relay R1 manually.

Relays R1 is of the type which is held in its closed position by a latch element 116 spring urged toward effective position and adapted for being withdrawn from effective position to release relay R1 from actuated position by energization of a coil RL.

Coil R1 is connected between lines L3 and L4 via a blade T2 of timer T and which is bypassed by a pushbutton PB2.

The previously mentioned valve solenoid V7 for check valve which is energized to open the valve and deenergized to close the valve is connected between lines L3 and L4 via a normally closed blade Rlb of relay R1 and which blade is bypassed by the normally open blade $212 which is mechanically connected to the previously mentioned blade 82a in series with timer T. When relay R1 is energized, valve solenoid V7 is deenergized and table 82 halts whereas, when coil R1 is energized, solenoid v7 is energized and valve 101 opens and table 82 can again move in the forward direction.

The valve solenoids V3 and V1 for the pin driving and drilling unit control valves 98 and 97, respectively, are under the control of a third blade T3 of timer T. Closing of blade T3 will energize both of solenoids V1 and V3 for simultaneously drilling holes in bridge 70A and driving pins into holes in bridge 708. The blade T3 is bypassed by a first pushbutton PR3 which permits manual energization of valve mlenoid V3 independently of solenoid V1 and is also bypassed by a second pushbutton PB4 which permits manual energization of valve solenoid V1 independently of solenoid V3. Selector switches S4 and S5 are provided in series with valve solenoids V3 and V1, respectively.

The valve solenoid V4 for causing retraction of the drilling unit is in series with still another blade T4 and timer T and a selector valve 56 while a pushbutton PBS bypasses the blade T4.

Similarly, the valve solenoid V2 for retracting the pin driving plungers of the pin driver is in series with a blade T5 of time T and a selector switch S7 with pushbuttons PB6 bypassing the said timer blade.

Valve solenoid V5 which is energizable for shifting valve 99 into position to cause forward movement of table 82 is in circuit with a pushbutton P137. Valve solenoid V6 for shifting valve 99 into position to cause reverse movement of table 82 is in series with a pushbutton P88 which is bypassed by the normally open limit switch LS2.

in operation, with a previously drilled bridge at 703 and an undrilled bridge at 70A and with table 82 in the position in which it is shown in FIG. 2 in abutment with screw 106, a cycle is initiated by closing pushbutton PB7. This will energize valve solenoid V5 and shift valve 99 into position to cause table 82 to move to the right. When the table has moved in the forward direction, i.e., toward the right, to the point where the first holes are to be drilled in bridge 70A and the first pins are to be set in bridge 7013, the first one of control pins 102 will engage lever 104 and actuate limit switch LS1 to cause blade 112 to close terminal 11 1.

The charge on condenser 114 will now energize the coil of relay 101 and the armature of relay R1 will move upwardly and latch 116 will engage beneath the armature and hold it in its upper position. The upward movement of the armature of relay R1 closes blade Rla while opening blade Rlb. When blade Rla closes, timer T is energized and commences to run with blade Tl closing to provide a holding circuit for the motor until it is desired for the motor to half at the end of a cycle.

Opening of blade Rlb will deenergize valve solenoid V7 which will permit valve 101 immediately to close and halt the table 82 in the proper position. The timer then closes its blade T3 so that V1 and V3 are energized to cause drilling and pin driving operations to be carried out. Thereafter blades T4 and T5 close while blade T3 opens and this will cause energization of valve solenoids V2 and V4 which, in view of the deenergization of valve solenoids V1 and V3, cause valves 97 and 98 to shift into position to cause the drills and the pin driving plungers to retract. Thereafter, timer blade T2 closes while blade T5 opens, with the closing of blade T2 energizing RL to withdraw latch 116 from beneath the armature of relay R1 so the relay armature will drop back into its FIG. 3 position and again energize solenoid V7 to open valve 101 which will cause table 82 again to move in the forward direction to the right.

As the table moves to the right it passes on over lever 104 and blade 113 will again close on terminal 112 so that when the next one of pins 102 of control bar 100 engages lever 104, condenser 114 will be charged and the same cycle as previously described will be carried out.

This cycle of operations will be repeated as many times as there are pins 102 and until stop screw 108 engages limit switch LS2 and closes it whereupon valve solenoid V6 will be energized to shift valve 99 into position to cause table 82 to reverse and move to the left until it is stopped by screw 106.

At this time, the completed bridge 70B, which has had pins set therein, is removed and the now drilled bridge at 70A is moved over to the right-hand end of the table and a new undrilled bridge is placed in position at the left-hand end of the table. A new cycle can be commenced by again closing pushbutton PB7.

The circuit is provided with pushbutton and selector switches whereby individual components can be operated at any time for the purpose of checking or repairing the machine.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the work member needs merely to be located on table 82 and the machine set into operation and the holes for'the pins will automatically be drilled in the work member and the pins will automatically be set therein. Manual labor in respect of setting the pins is eliminated and the work members are completed rapidly and are all uniform.

It will be understood that the particular work member illustrated is only one of many that could be handled in an automatic machine of the nature disclosed. Further, it will be evident that the particular combination of a drilling unit and a pin setting unit is only one example of the manner in which the pin setter, according to the present invention, can be used.

Certain specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, but it will be apparent that other modifications and adaptations of the present invention falling within the scope of the appended claims will occur to those skilled in the art.

lclaim:

l. A device for driving pinlike members into holes comprising: a frame, driver means including rodlike means to engage the member to be driven and reciprocable along a predetermined first path in said frame and a motor for actuating said driver means, feed means operable for feeding the pinlike members in end to end relation along a second predetermined path which is substantially parallel to and in laterally spaced relation to said first path, a block disposed in intersecting relation to said paths at the terminal ends thereof and having pin receiving means to receive said pin like members, said block having a first end position wherein the said pin receiving means is disposed in said second path in registration with said feed means and a second end position wherein said pin receiving means is disposed in said first path in registration with said driver means, first means biasing said block toward its said first position, a lever pivotally mounted in said frame and having its one end in engagement with said block, and a cam connected to said driver means and engaging said lever at a point spaced from the pivotal connection of the lever to said frame and operable to move said block into its second position before the end of said rodlike means intersects the path of said block means.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which pin receiving means comprises bore means in said block substantially parallel to said paths and said frame comprises a plate on the side of said block opposite said feed means and driver means which closes the bore means in the block when the block is in its said first position and which plate has a passage means therethrough in alignmentwith said first path whereby members to be driven are delivered to said bore means from said feed means and are retained in said bore means when the block is in its said first position whereas when the block is in its second position the rodlike means can drive the members from the block through the passage means in the plate and into a work member.

3. In a machine for drilling a row of holes in a first elongated work member and for driving pins into a like row of holes previously drilled in a second and like work member, a reciprocable table on which the work members are fixed in spaced parallel relation with the row of holes in said second work member extending in the direction of reciprocation of said table, a drilling unit and a pin driving unit in the same said spaced relation above said table, motor means for actuating said table to advance said work members in steps beneath said units, first means energizable for actuating the drilling unit to carry out a drilling operation, second means energizable for actuating the pin driving unit to carry out a pin driving operation, and control means responsive to movement of said table into predetermined successive positions in said direction for halting said motor means to halt the table and then energizing said first and second means and for then deenergizing said first and second means and for then again starting said motor means, whereby a row of holes is drilled in said first work member while a series of pins are driven into the holes in said second work member.

4. A machine according to claim 3, which includes third means operable in response to a predetermined amount of travel of said table in said direction sufficient to cause said work members to traverse past their respective units to reverse the table for return thereof to a starting position in one continuous movement.

5. A machine according to claim 4, in which said drilling unit drills a plurality of holes at one time and said pin driving unit drives the same number of pins at one time.

6. A device according to claim 2, in which said feed means comprises a plurality of feed tubes in laterally distributed relation forming a plurality of second paths, said block having a plurality of bores for registration with said second paths, said rodlike means comprising a plurality of drive rods, guide means in the frame guiding the driving ends of said drive rods along respective first paths which register with the bores in said block when the latter is in its said second position, and said passage means in said plate comprising a passage for each bore in the block whereby a plurality of the pinlike member can be driven at one time.

7. A device according to claim 6, in which at least some of the bores in said block and the passages in said plate and said drive rods are inclined so as to converge in the direction in which the pinlike members are driven to permit a plurality of the members to be driven into a work member at desired spacing and angularity.

8. A device according to claim 7, in which said driver means includes a carrier member for supporting said drive rods at the ends thereof opposite the driving ends, support blocks condtp t e c ss f least the i s inqtg ss sa q drive rods and lateral slots in said carrier member receiving said support blocks to permit lateral movement of the support blocks in said carrier member while transmitting axial forces from said carrier member to said support blocks. 

1. A device for driving pinlike members into holes comprising: a frame, driver means including rodlike means to engage the member to be driven and reciprocable along a predetermined first path in said frame and a motor for actuating said driver means, feed means operable for feeding the pinlike members in end to end relation along a second predetermined path which is substantially parallel to and in laterally spaced relation to said first path, a block disposed in intersecting relation to said paths at the terminal ends thereof and having pin receiving means to receive said pin like members, said block having a first end position wherein the said pin receiving means is disposed in said second path in registration with said feed means and a second end position wherein said pin receiving means is disposed in said first path in registration with said driver means, first means biasing said block toward its said first position, a lever pivotally mounted in said frame and having its one end in engagement with said block, and a cam connected to said driver means and engaging said lever at a point spaced from the pivotal connection of the lever to said frame and operable to move said block into its second position before the end of said rodlike means intersects the path of said block means.
 2. A device according to claim 1, in which pin receiving means comprises bore means in said block substantially parallel to said paths and said frame comprises a plate on the side of said block opposite said feed means and driver means which closes the bore means in the block when the block is in its said first position and which plate has a passage means therethrough in alignment with said first path whereby members to be driven are delivered to said bore means from said feed means and are retained in said bore means when the block is in its said first position whereas when the block is in its second position the rodlike means can drive the members from the block through the passage means in the plate and into a work member.
 3. In a machine for drilling a row of holes in a first elongated work member and for driving pins into a like row of holes previously drilled in a second and like work member, a reciprocable table on which the work members are fixed in spaced parallel relation with the row of holes in said second work member extending in the direction of reciprocation of said table, a drilling unit and a pin driving unit in the same said spaced relAtion above said table, motor means for actuating said table to advance said work members in steps beneath said units, first means energizable for actuating the drilling unit to carry out a drilling operation, second means energizable for actuating the pin driving unit to carry out a pin driving operation, and control means responsive to movement of said table into predetermined successive positions in said direction for halting said motor means to halt the table and then energizing said first and second means and for then deenergizing said first and second means and for then again starting said motor means, whereby a row of holes is drilled in said first work member while a series of pins are driven into the holes in said second work member.
 4. A machine according to claim 3, which includes third means operable in response to a predetermined amount of travel of said table in said direction sufficient to cause said work members to traverse past their respective units to reverse the table for return thereof to a starting position in one continuous movement.
 5. A machine according to claim 4, in which said drilling unit drills a plurality of holes at one time and said pin driving unit drives the same number of pins at one time.
 6. A device according to claim 2, in which said feed means comprises a plurality of feed tubes in laterally distributed relation forming a plurality of second paths, said block having a plurality of bores for registration with said second paths, said rodlike means comprising a plurality of drive rods, guide means in the frame guiding the driving ends of said drive rods along respective first paths which register with the bores in said block when the latter is in its said second position, and said passage means in said plate comprising a passage for each bore in the block whereby a plurality of the pinlike member can be driven at one time.
 7. A device according to claim 6, in which at least some of the bores in said block and the passages in said plate and said drive rods are inclined so as to converge in the direction in which the pinlike members are driven to permit a plurality of the members to be driven into a work member at desired spacing and angularity.
 8. A device according to claim 7, in which said driver means includes a carrier member for supporting said drive rods at the ends thereof opposite the driving ends, support blocks connected to the ends of at least the inclined ones of said drive rods and lateral slots in said carrier member receiving said support blocks to permit lateral movement of the support blocks in said carrier member while transmitting axial forces from said carrier member to said support blocks. 